


Helping Hands

by evieeden



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, M/M, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark Friendship, Tony Stark Has A Heart, therapy dogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 16:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8924344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evieeden/pseuds/evieeden
Summary: Tony provides Bucky with a means to tackle his PTSD.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Second one in a day - I'm gradually catching up on these.
> 
> Anyway, here's my advent fic for the 9th December. This one is a Bucky number so I hope you enjoy reading it and thanks so much for taking the time.
> 
> Happy 9th/20th December.

“So Robocop, I hear you haven’t been sleeping at night?”

Everyone in the common room froze, eyes shooting to where Tony was leaning casually against the door frame, a large box in his arms.

Steve made an aborted gesture towards him, as if he wanted to drag Tony away from the traumatised ex-assassin currently huddled in a blanket against one corner of the sofa, Natasha sat a ‘close’ two metres away from him.

Barnes merely stared at Tony uncomprehendingly.

So, as in so many cases since the Winter Soldier had shown up at Avengers Tower, shed all of his weapons and dropped to his knees in surrender, Steve stepped in on Bucky’s behalf.

“And how did you hear that, Tony? All the private rooms in the tower are soundproofed.”

Tony shrugged and stepped further into the room, ignoring the way that Barnes tensed at his approach.

“People talk.”

“You mean JARVIS talks?” Steve crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

“Potayto potahto.”

Steve bristled at the casual dismissal and stepped forward, only to halt when the back of his shirt was gripped by Bucky. Instead, he moved sideways, slightly shielding the other man from view.

Tony seemed unconcerned about the potential threat to his person and carried on walking forwards until he reached the coffee table in front of the sofa and placed the box down.

“Anyway,” he began, “I did some research on how to get rid of nightmares and since heavily medicating Bucky Bear here is something that you seem to be avoiding, this was the next best idea.”

Steve blinked and Natasha shifted in her seat.

“A gift?” Bucky’s voice was quiet behind Steve. “For me?” The incredulity in it, that someone would bestow a gift upon him, made Steve wince.

“If you like.” Tony shrugged again and then wandered off towards the kitchen, very pointedly not looking back to see the reaction to his offering.

With him gone, the three of them looked back at the box on the table. It was fairly large and had weird shapes cut into the sides of it. There was no labelling or indication of what it was, there was only a curious huffing sound that emanated from within.

“Seeing as its from Tony, what are the odds that it’s going to explode?” Steve poked the box cautiously.

“High generally.” Natasha didn’t seem particularly worried about the risk of the gift imploding. “But Pepper told him he wasn’t allowed to set fires in the tower anymore and she told him that he had to be nice to James in the future so I don’t think he’d risk it.”

“Miss Potts is a classy dame.”

Steve cast a fond look back towards Bucky. “That she is, pal.” He frowned at the box again before turning once more to speak to his friend. “Do you want to open your gift or do you want me to?” His voice softened as he spoke to Bucky and Natasha wondered if he’d ever get a clue about his true feelings for the man he called his best friend.

Bucky tilted his head and nodded. He didn’t state an answer, but it was probably the most interest he’d shown in anything outside Steve in a while. Reading the reaction correctly, Steve lifted the box and placed it on the sofa next to Bucky. Natasha took advantage of the natural barrier between them and scooted closer.

“Do you need a knife to cut the box open?”

Steve blushed at the twin looks that question received. Bucky lifted one of the flaps on the box, having noticed what Steve hadn’t, that the box wasn’t actually sealed properly, and the huffing sound paused before resuming.

He lifted the second flap and then peered hesitantly into the box.

“Oh.” His voice was soft and full of wonder and Steve and Natasha leaned forward.

Bucky reached into the box with both arms and carefully pulled out a sleeping, fluffy, black puppy.

Steve’s breath caught as Bucky moved the puppy over to rest on his lap, his human hand resting gently on the top of its head.

“It’s a puppy,” he shared, as if they hadn’t noticed. “Is it mine? To keep?”

Steve glanced towards the door separating the lounge and the kitchen where Tony had disappeared. “It was a gift to you from Tony, so I think he meant for you to keep it.”

Natasha had moved even closer while Bucky was preoccupied with the soft bundle in his lap and was rooting around in the rest of the box.

“Looks like he’s kitted you out completely here, Bucky. There’s a lead and collar here, as well as food and bowls…” She held up a piece of cloth with a tartan print on it. “Look, he’s even got a coat to wear in the cold until he’s bigger.” She graced Steve with a crooked smile. “What are the odds that when you return back to your floor later there’ll already be a dog bed and other pet stuff down there?”

Steve looked over to where the puppy was slowly beginning to wake up, its tail starting to wag hesitantly as it sniffed the fingers on Bucky’s metal hand.

“You think?”

The puppy had now moved on from Bucky’s hand and was standing up, tail wagging in earnest as it began attacking his face with its tongue. Far from the panic Steve was expecting when people got too close, Bucky was smiling, a small smile, but a genuine one. His hand was running steadily and rhythmically over the puppy’s back and as they watched, he leaned his head down to nuzzle gently at the puppy’s nose.

“I think that Stark was asking Sam about the pros and cons of therapy dogs last month and how they might help someone in Bucky’s position, that’s what I think.”

Natasha sat back on her side of the sofa, casually raising her phone to take a photo of Bucky and his canine companion.

“Last month, huh?” Steve cocked his head to one side. “So not something he came up with during Buck’s nightmare last night then?”

Natasha raised a shoulder casually, but it was confirmation enough.

It was an incredibly kind gesture from Tony, not that Steve should be surprised by them anymore, and he resolved to show thanks to the man in some way.

For now though he sat on the floor next to where Bucky was flat-out cuddling with the puppy who appeared ecstatic at the attention he was receiving.

“So Buck, are we keeping him then?”

The filthy look he received almost made him laugh.

“Of course, we’re keeping him. We just need to find a name that suits him first.” He held the puppy up and smiled at the way the puppy tried to bat at his nose with its paws.

His contented expression made Steve smile and relax for the first time in what felt like forever.

When Tony finally came out of hiding, he would have to thank the man.

Until then, he would enjoy this moment of peace with Bucky, Natasha and the new addition to their small household.


End file.
